


Rune Study Buddies

by Realsupergirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:13:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23762125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Realsupergirl/pseuds/Realsupergirl
Summary: Hearthstone seeks out Hermione Granger after he reads an obscure article she wrote about runes.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Rune Study Buddies

Hearthstone had wanted to meet Hermione for years. 

“She’s not gay, but she’s pretty cool,” his life partner Blitz had told him. It was a funny way to describe someone. It was so mundane, and so human. Blitz wasn’t human, and neither was Hearthstone. But spending so much time in Midgard, the human world, had rubbed off on them. 

Hearthstone wasn’t even sure how Blitz had discovered Hermione was also an expert in Rune magic. He’d been told for so long that he was the only person left who could perform this magic. Then one day, Blitz came home with that article, very excited to show Hearth. 

Like a fan girl, this was the first thing that came pouring out of Hearth’s mouth when he first sat down. They were sitting in the patio of an ice cream shop surrounded by,..magic. Cauldrons, brooms, owls that did your bidding…it was all so much. He’d never seen so much magic in one place in his life. How could he not have known this place existed before?

_So, like, how did you know about runes? How did you know about magic? How did you find this place? And now you…you work for a magical government?_ Hearth gushed in ASL at her. He licked his ice cream cone, which was a most delicious and unusual flavor. 

To her credit, Hermione didn’t burst out laughing at him. Hearth was also hugely impressed that she knew ASL. 

“I was raised by muggles. Non-magical people,” Hermione explained, probably sensing Hearth’s confusion. “But in our world, witches and wizards get a letter when they turn 11, and they go off to a school to learn magic. That’s how I found out.” 

“Your world?” Hearth was still stuck back on this, and hardly heard the rest of what she said. He continued to sign _Which of the Nine Worlds are you in? It can’t be Midgard?_

Now Hermione looked at him with a mixture of confusion and pity. It was like she knew was he was asking but thought his brain was too small to comprehend.

“I don’t know how the worlds all go together. But I’m familiar with your Nine Worlds. I don’t know whether our magical world is a part of Midgard that you never knew existed, or a part of Vanir. Maybe it’s part of both. 

_There’s no magic in Midgard_ , Hearth signed. _This I know for sure._

“Do you?” Hermione asked. “Can you know anything for sure? We’ve all been kept apart from each other for so long, how can you know for sure what’s true? Did you know there’s children of gods? They call them demigods!”

_Everyone knows that,_ Hearth signed dismissively. 

“I didn’t!” Hermione said angrily. Hearth could tell she was the kind of person who wasn’t used to not knowing things. “I didn’t find out until six months ago when this demigod named Annabeth approached me, wanting information about how our worlds connected. She said she’s the daughter of Athena! That’s crazy. I’ve read about Athena in my mythology books.” 

_I know Annabeth. She’s cousins with my kid. I mean, he’s not really my kid, but I’m kind of his mom. I look out for him. He’s a demigod, too,_ Hearth signed. 

“Are you a demigod?” Hermione asked. It sounded like an accusation. 

_Me? No!_ Hearth was offended. _I’m an elf. From Alfeim. It’s one of the Nine Worlds, too._

“I don’t remember that one, I’m sorry,” Hermione said. 

_No one ever does_ , Hearth sighed bitterly. 

“So what did you want to meet me for?” Hermione said briskly, clearly trying to change the subject. “You were very persistent. You said you had some questions.” 

_I wanted to see this place,_ Hearth gestured around. _The ice cream is really good, but it’s everything else! There’s a whole shop where you can get wands!_

“Did you need a want?” Hermione looked puzzled.

_Me? No_ , Hearth waved her off. _I don’t do wand magic. So crude. But there must be a rune place around here, right?_

“Are you into runes?” Hermione asked. She looked more excited than Hearth had seen her yet. “I’m very into runes.”

_I know_ , Hearth stared back at her. _That’s why I contacted you. You wrote that paper about rune magic._

“You read that?” Hermione turned pink. 

_Of course I read it_ , Hearth was feeling very confused now. _Isn’t that why you published it?_

Hermione looked embarrassed now and Hearth wasn’t sure what had happened. He felt like he’d offended her somehow. 

“It’s..it’s just that most people don’t read my papers. Especially when I write about runes. I guess rune magic isn’t very popular in…in my world. Is it a big thing in your world?”

_I’m the only being who’s learned magic in many decades, they tell me_ , Hearth shook his head while he signed. _But you live in a magical world. I thought more people would…know magic._

Hermione sighed, “It’s different I guess. People here are all about wand magic and potions. When I took Runes at Hogwarts – that’s the magical school in England that I attended – there were only like three or four people in any of my classes. I kind of liked all the extra attention but it was also…kind of sad.”

_That’s disappointing_ , Hearth signed. 

Hermione nodded at him in sympathy. 

_Why do you think that is?_ Hearth asked. _Why in a magical world are people not interested in Runes? It’s such a powerful and subtle magical force._

“I think maybe that’s why,” Hermione chewed the end of her pen thoughtfully. “I think it’s too subtle. Casting charms and spells with a wand, even making a potion – it’s more dramatic and showy. I think that appeals to people. Runes are more about shifting subtle life forces.” 

_Exactly!_ Hearth’s face lit up. It’s what he’s been trying to explain to his friends back home about Rune magic for a long time. They mostly glaze over when he talks to them.

_I carry this one rune in my pocket all the time_ , Hearth told Hermione. He fumbled into his pocket and pulled it out, turned it over so Hermione could see which one it was. 

_It was given to me by my first boyfriend. Somehow, coming out has been tied to my magical power. It’s already done some pretty amazing things._

“Perthro,” Hermione turned the stone over in her hand, “You carry a lot of sadness,” It wasn’t a question. Or even an invitation to disclose details. Which was just as well, because Hearth didn’t feel like sharing them. 

_How is it you know sign language?_ Hearth asked. _Are there deaf people in the magical world?_

“Of course there are!” Hermione laughed. “But that’s not how I know. I know several languages besides English – French, Italian, ASL, a little bit of German. It’s very useful to know languages. I’m trying to learn Chinese now. There’s so much ancient wisdom in Chinese magic.” 

_Is there?_ Hearth said wistfully. _I just wish more people in Midgard and Alfheim knew ASL._

“Your parents didn’t accept you?” Hermione asked quietly. 

Hearth shook his head. Hermione didn’t ask any more questions.

“So you said you know Annabeth Chase?” Hermione asked. 

Hearthstone looked up. _Are you a demigod, too?_

“That’s the thing,” Hermione said earnestly. “We were starting to wonder. My parents never told me I was adopted, but it explains so much knowing the truth. Annabeth was going to bring me to some place in New York, see if…one of the gods claimed me, I guess? It all sounded very strange. But then we decided it wasn’t a good idea. “

_Why?_ Hearth signed.

“I guess…I guess we both agreed that there was a reason our worlds have been kept apart for so long. Maybe it’s not a good idea to meddle.”

_In my world,_ Hearth signed, _the Nine Worlds are all connected. Why couldn’t your world and Annabeth’s world be a part of the Nine Worlds?_

“I suppose they could be,” Hermione chewed her pen like she always did when she was nervous. “But is it…safe…to go moving from one world to another?”

_Well, I’ve never really felt safe anywhere_ , Hearth shrugged. _It has its risks, but so does staying in one place._

“Fair point,” Hermione asked. “Hey, so, would you be interested in studying Rune magic with me? I’ve been feeling rusty. I don’t have anyone else who’s that interested.” 

_I’d love to,_ Hearth said, feeling genuinely happy for the first time since Hermione had sat down with him. _Study with the great Hermione Granger? It would be such a treat._


End file.
